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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29968110">Stumbling Feet and Strong Arms</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeighboringHeart/pseuds/NeighboringHeart'>NeighboringHeart</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Akiteru is a gentleman so it's fine, Domestic Fluff, Drunken Flirting, Drunken Shenanigans, F/M, Fluff, Hangover, Minor Takeda Ittetsu/Ukai Keishin, Not Beta Read, Saeko is very drunk, Sharing a Bed, She nearly hits him with a bat, Tsukki is a mean little brother but we already knew that lmao, Tsukki is salty through text</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 02:48:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,010</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29968110</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeighboringHeart/pseuds/NeighboringHeart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Karasuno adults go out for drinks after the Shiratorizawa match. Saeko gets very drunk and Akiteru volunteers to take her home. He might've bit off more than he can chew.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tanaka Saeko/Tsukishima Akiteru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stumbling Feet and Strong Arms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello all! I'm posting some fluff and letting y'all know it's my birthday today! Your local cryptid has just turned twenty and that means nothing to me as time is only an illusion lmao. I'm just kidding, but anywho, I hope y'all enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Yeah!” Saeko yelled. She slammed her foot onto the table as she raised her glass. “We’re goin’ ta nationals!” Everyone around her fidgeted in their seats while watching her outburst.</p>
<p>“Please sit down, Tanaka-chan,” Akiteru pleaded. “You might hurt yourself.”</p>
<p>“I’ll be fine,” she slurred, waving him off with her free hand. “Worry about yerself.”</p>
<p>“Tanaka-chan, I agree with Tsukishima-kun,” Ittetsu said sheepishly. “Plus, you might also cause damage to the furniture.” He cowered as Saeko scowled at him.</p>
<p>Keishin placed an arm around Ittetsu’s shoulders. He glared back at her. They had a staring contest that lasted a tense thirty seconds.</p>
<p>Saeko removed her foot from the table reluctantly with a growl. “Ahhhh, fine! But like that game was crazy! Ushiwaka was like ‘wham!’ and Yuu was like ‘boom!’ and it was insane! I’m so proud of those boys. I’m gonna have to buy Ryuu something to congratulate him. What should I get him?” She grinned from ear to ear as she mentioned her brother.</p>
<p>“Not that yer gonna remember tomorrow, but I’m sure he’d be fine if ya just took him to get barbecue,” Yūsuke said with a hiccup. “Those kids’re damn near all obsessed with meat.”</p>
<p>“What the hell are you implyin’? I’ll remember this just fine! I don’t even get hungover ever!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but do you always down this many beers?” Makoto commented with a smirk. “You’ve had like seven already.”</p>
<p>“Shaddup!”</p>
<p>Makoto sighed and looked over at Yūsuke who just shrugged. “Well, it’s getting pretty late. We oughta end this little party.”</p>
<p>“Buzzkill,” Saeko grumbled. She sat back down, set down her drink and leaned on Akiteru’s shoulder. She wrapped her arms around his free arm. “It isn’t that late yet.”</p>
<p>Akiteru blushed bright red. He gave Keishin a desperate look, pleading for help with his eyes.</p>
<p>“Yeah, no, you’re done,” Keishin said flatly. “This was fun, but you’ve definitely had too many, and Yūsuke-kun isn’t far behind.”</p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p>“Don’t argue with me, I can see you swaying from here!”</p>
<p>“Whatever,” he said. He grabbed Makoto’s arm and pulled the both of them up. He threw down enough cash to cover his portion of the drinks.</p>
<p>“Bye, everyone,” Makoto said as he was dragged away. “This really was fun. Sorry about him. Make sure Tanaka-chan gets home alright!”</p>
<p>“Meh, I’ll be fine,” Saeko mumbled, nuzzling against Akiteru’s shoulder. “I don’t need anyone’s help getting home.”</p>
<p>Akiteru looked down at her and swallowed thickly. “I can get her home,” he said softly. “I’m pretty sure I live the closest to her place and I don’t mind. Tsukki is already gonna be angry that I’m out this late as it is. No harm in being out a bit longer.”</p>
<p>“Alright, if you’re sure,” Keishin said with raised eyebrows. “Don’t do anything disrespectful, alright? Tanaka-chan, please let him help you get home. I’ll handle the bill. You guys get outta here.” He grabbed the cash that was dropped earlier and slid it in his wallet. “Don’t worry about paying me back.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Ukai-san,” Akiteru said. “Tanaka-chan, let’s go, alright? You can drink more once we get there if you want, but you need to get home.”</p>
<p>“Yay!” she said with a giggle. “Let’s keep the party going!” She got up, stumbling the whole way.</p>
<p>Akiteru thanked the coaches again as he ran after her.</p>
<p>“Are you sure that was a good idea?” Ittetsu asked. “I feel like that was a bit cruel.”</p>
<p>Keishin placed a kiss on his forehead. “It’ll be fine. I mean, look who his brother is. I’m sure he's used to dealing with stubborn people by this point.”</p>
<p>“That was rude.” Ittetsu scolded him.</p>
<p>Keishin laughed. “Okay, but still, he’ll be alright.”</p>
<p>Akiteru chased after Saeko as she stomped out of the building. “Tanaka-chan, please slow down.”</p>
<p>“How about you speed up, Mr. All Legs?” she giggled. She turned around and wrapped herself around his arm once more. “You’re pretty cute, y’know?”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Tanaka-chan, but now isn’t the time,” he said with flushed cheeks.</p>
<p>“Aww, you’re shy! That’s so cute.”</p>
<p>Akiteru continued guiding them both toward the nearest train station. “Thank you, but please focus on walking.”</p>
<p>“Yes, sir!” she said, leaning against him with a giggle.</p>
<p>They make it onto the train and take a seat. Some of the passengers glared at Akiteru suspiciously. He sweat under their gazes. Saeko glared back at them with a scowl.</p>
<p>“Got a problem?” she barked at them.</p>
<p>The passengers looked away, some occasionally glancing over to give him a sympathetic smile.</p>
<p>Akiteru quietly asked Saeko to calm down and she waved him off.</p>
<p>“Sorry for being such a handful,” Saeko mumbled quietly a few minutes after the train takes off. Her eyelids were struggling to stay open as she leaned against him more heavily. “Thank you for the help. I really do appreciate it.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” he said back, just as softly. “I’d feel a lot better knowing you got home safe.”</p>
<p>A few more minutes passed, and Akiteru looked down to see that Saeko had fallen asleep. He sighed softly, grateful for the moment of respite. He carefully removed his phone from his pocket to text his brother.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kei 😒</p>
<p>[Sorry, it’s gonna be a bit longer<br/>
before I get home.]<br/>
[Tanaka-chan needed<br/>
someone to help her<br/>
get home.]</p>
<p>[oof]<br/>
[fine but don’t be stupid]<br/>
[i’d rather not be related to<br/>
Tanaka-san in the future thanks]</p>
<p>[Frankly, it’s none of your business,<br/>
but I only intend to get her home.<br/>
Nothing else.]<br/>
Read 11:47PM</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Akiteru sighed once more and put his phone back in his pocket. He looked at Saeko and smiled softly, the crease in his eyebrow smoothing. He was relieved to see her so calm. He sat back a bit to get more comfortable. He froze when he felt Saeko stir, but she didn’t wake up. He relaxed against the back of the seat.</p>
<p>Saeko nuzzled into his shoulder in her sleep and he fought the urge to blush at the cute action. He looked out the opposite window. He zoned out as he thought about how to try and get Kei on his good side. He knew this was an impossible endeavor, but that didn’t stop him from deciding to buy him new headphones for his next birthday.</p>
<p>They were reaching their stop soon, and Akiteru reluctantly shook Saeko’s shoulder. He frowned at himself for the action, but they couldn’t miss their stop.</p>
<p>“Sorry to wake you. We’re almost at our stop.”</p>
<p>“I fell asleep? Ahhh, I’m sorry,” she whispered, still slurring her words slightly. She rubbed at her eyes with a yawn.</p>
<p>“It’s alright,” he said. “Oh, here we are, come on.”</p>
<p>Saeko groaned as she was genty hauled to her feet. She continued to thank him as she was guided off the train.</p>
<p>Akiteru began the short walk back to her place from there. Saeko could barely keep her eyes open and kept tripping over her own feet before apologizing quietly.</p>
<p>“There’s not really anyone around right now,” he said. “Is it alright if I just carry you the rest of the way there? I don’t want you to get injured.”</p>
<p>“How romantic,” she sighed. “Sure! You can be my knight in shining armor.”</p>
<p>“Please stop saying things like that, Tanaka-chan.” He picked her up, carrying her bridal style.</p>
<p>She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed dreamily against his chest. “Please just call me Saeko.”</p>
<p>“Alright, Saeko-chan, which way is your place? I know you said you live near here, but I don’t know the exact address.”</p>
<p>Saeko directed him back to her place with only a few errors. As they reached the front door, she pulled out her keys and handed them to him. He unlocked the door and let them both in, closing the door behind them. He set Saeko back on her feet so they could take off their shoes. He wound up taking hers off as well after she nearly toppled over in her attempt.</p>
<p>He helped her to her room. She flopped onto the bed with a giggle.</p>
<p>“Alright, I’m going to head off now,” he said, turning to leave. “Don’t forget to drink some water in the morning. You’re gonna need it.”</p>
<p>“No, wait,” Saeko said, grabbing his sleeve. “Can you please stay the night? I don’t want you to leave.”</p>
<p>“Saeko-chan, that really wouldn’t be appropriate.”</p>
<p>“Come on, Aki-kun!” she whined. “Just this once.” She gave him puppy dog eyes. “I don’t want to be alone.”</p>
<p>Akiteru stood there for a moment, his face pinched. He deflated with a soft smile. “Alright, just let me text Kei first.”</p>
<p>She nodded and let go of him.</p>
<p>Akiteru walked out into the hall and pulled his phone out, his conversation with Kei still open.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kei 😒</p>
<p>[Okay, change of plan. I’ll be<br/>
back in the morning. Please<br/>
don’t be mad 🙏]</p>
<p>[you’re an idiot]</p>
<p>[It’s not like that! See you<br/>
in the morning]</p>
<p>[k]</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Akiteru groaned, rubbing his temples. He put his phone away and poked his head back into the room.</p>
<p>“Alright, I’ll be on the couch. Holler if you need me,” Akiteru turned to leave once more.</p>
<p>“Noooo, come cuddle with me,” Saeko pleaded, freezing him in the doorway.</p>
<p>“Saeko-chan, I’m not going to do that,” he said firmly. “It would be incredibly disrespectful of me.”</p>
<p>Saeko scooted herself over. “Can you please just sleep here? I won’t do anything, I just don’t want you to mess up your back. My couch is terrible.”</p>
<p>Akiteru rubbed at his face. “Okay,” he said. “I will sleep here tonight, but I want to make it clear that I am only going to sleep, okay?”</p>
<p>“Yes, yes, of course,” she said, slowly nodding. She shuffled until she was beneath the blankets.</p>
<p>Akiteru removed his jacket, placing it on the hook on her door. He placed his phone onto the night stand, turned off so it wouldn’t die overnight. He pulled back the covers and got settled underneath.</p>
<p>Saeko scooted closer and laid with her forehead pressed between his shoulder blades.</p>
<p>Akiteru tensed and blushed furiously. He went to speak, but heard her softly snoring. He sighed. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Saeko woke up, her head pounding. She groaned, slowly sitting up. She squinted at the sunlight coming in through the window, covering her eyes with her hand. She looked around, her eyebrows pinched.</p>
<p>“How did I… get home?” She winced as her head only pounded harder. She looked at her nightstand. On it was a glass of water and two ibuprofen. She grabbed the pills, quickly taking them and chugging the entire glass. She placed it back on the table and shuffled back beneath the covers, pulling the blankets over her head.</p>
<p>Her stomach churned, threatening to empty itself of its contents. She fought back the nausea that coiled in her gut. She groaned and curled up into herself.</p>
<p>She waited for the ibuprofen to kick in, trying to go back to sleep. She heard sounds coming from her kitchen. She shot up, grabbing her phone and the bat she keeps under her bed. She tries to open her phone, but it’s dead. She cursed her drunken self as she tiptoed out into the hall.</p>
<p>She held up the bat, nearing the doorway to her kitchen. She paused, hearing humming and sizzling. She caught the smell of bacon and only became more bewildered. She steeled herself and took a deep breath. She rounded the corner and froze in place.</p>
<p>Akiteru makes eye contact with Saeko from across the room. He had a pan in hand, the contents still steaming.</p>
<p>“Please, don’t kill me. I made breakfast.” He pointed at the table with his spatula, attempting to appease her with the offering.</p>
<p>Saeko looked over, seeing a plate already dished up at the table. Her face twisted further as she tried to recall the events of the previous night.</p>
<p>“Sorry if I startled you,” he said. He set down the pan carefully. “You got pretty messed up last night.” He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “I took you back home since you could hardly walk. You asked me to stay the night, so I did, but nothing happened between us. I know we only met recently, so again, I’m sorry if I pushed any boundaries.”</p>
<p>Saeko lowered the bat, her expression now pained. “I asked you to stay?”</p>
<p>Akiteru nodded.</p>
<p>Saeko scrubbed at her face with a groan. “God, I’m sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong. Honestly, I just get weird when I’m drunk. Don’t worry about it.” She set the bat down by the wall and sat at the table. “Thank you for breakfast.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Akiteru said. “I heard you wake up, so I dished it up for you. I hope you don’t mind your eggs over easy.”</p>
<p>“They’re perfect,” Saeko said. “So I’m guessing it was you who left the pills and the water, and not me in a drunken stroke of genius?” She laughed softly at her own joke.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you said you never get hangovers last night, but I thought you might have been bluffing a bit. My guess is that I was right?”</p>
<p>Saeko groaned. “Yeah, good call there.”</p>
<p>They both shared a chuckle as Akiteru dished himself up. He sat down at the table with her and they ate in comfortable silence.</p>
<p>“How messed up was I last night?”</p>
<p>“How far do you remember?”</p>
<p>“I remember eating shrimp and we were talking about, I think, some trip that Ukai-san wanted to go on?”</p>
<p>“I think you had about three drinks after that conversation.”</p>
<p>“Oh god,” she said, her head falling into her hands. “I must’ve been such a pain. I am so sorry. I need to text the guys later and apologize to them too.”</p>
<p>“Oh, no no,” he said quickly. “It’s okay. I’m just glad we were able to make it back here without incident. Oh, and I already texted everyone this morning, but I’m sure they forgive you.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, but was it really without incident?”</p>
<p>“You yelled at some people on the train.” He got up from the table.</p>
<p>“Of course I did.” She rubbed her temples.</p>
<p>“Do you want some coffee?” Akiteru asked quietly. He held up the carafe and a mug.</p>
<p>“That would be amazing,” she said, sagging with relief.</p>
<p>He poured her a cup, adding a bit of creamer and handed it to her. He sat back down at the table.</p>
<p>She held the cup in both hands, blowing on it gently. “Thank you for not being a total jerk. I really owe you. I don’t even know how you got me here from the train station.” She took a small sip.</p>
<p>“I may have had to carry you for a bit.”</p>
<p>She nearly choked on her coffee. “Okay, I really owe you for last night. If you need anything, just let me know. I feel awful about that and I am so sorry for how pushy I must’ve been to you.”</p>
<p>“Like I said, don’t worry about it,” he said. “At least I can say I didn’t have a boring night, right?” They both laughed.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s for sure.”</p>
<p>They sat in silence for a bit as Akiteru chewed on his lip.</p>
<p>“I hope I’m not pushing, but uh—” he cleared his throat. “Would you want to maybe go on a date sometime? I just think you’re a really interesting person and I’d like to get to know you more. And maybe without alcohol involved this time around.” He laughed softly.</p>
<p>“I mean, if you want to—”</p>
<p>“Ah, I—sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to say, I didn’t ask because I think you owe me anything. I really don’t think you do, so don’t worry about that, please. If you’d rather not, then that’s alright.”</p>
<p>Saeko smiled. “I was just gonna say that I thought you were cute,” she said with a chuckle. Her cheeks were dusted pink as she stared down into her cup. “I’d really like that.”</p>
<p>“Really?” He perked up in his seat.</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>Akiteru beamed, leaning back in the chair. “Oh, thank goodness. I was so nervous that you’d say no. You should’ve seen me shaking over the eggs earlier. I nearly broke the yolks. It was ridiculous.” He chuckled.</p>
<p>Saeko giggled. “Wow, really? It’s hard to imagine you being nervous. You’re just a big softie, huh?”</p>
<p>Akiteru ruffled the hair at the back of his head, his cheeks turning pink. “Hey now, flattery will get you nowhere.”</p>
<p>“I’m honestly kind of surprised,” she said. “After a night like that, most guys would be completely scared off.”</p>
<p>“You’ve met my brother. Nothing scares me.”</p>
<p>Saeko cracked up laughing. “Is he really that intimidating?”</p>
<p>“He can be if he’s motivated enough,” he said, looking off to the side. “He can just be really intense, especially when he’s angry.”</p>
<p>“I’m guessing he didn’t like the idea of you being here overnight?”</p>
<p>“He called me an idiot.”</p>
<p>Saeko cracked up once again. “Yep, that’s definitely him. Blunt to a fault.”</p>
<p>“Absolutely,” he said. “Hopefully he isn’t that way forever. I worry about him sometimes, but he definitely seems to be taking a turn lately. I mean, I’ve never seen him so dedicated to something before yesterday.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’ve never heard him yell like that during a game before, it was pretty nuts. The boys were all losing it when he did.”</p>
<p>Akiteru chuckled and covered his face with his hands.</p>
<p>“What?” Saeko asked.</p>
<p>“I was just thinking, you’re pretty clingy when you’re drunk,” he teased.</p>
<p>“Oh my god, shut up!” she pleaded. “I don’t even want to think about that. Please forgive me.”</p>
<p>“No, it’s fine, I’m just messing with you,” he said with a chuckle.</p>
<p>“So mean!” she said. “You better swear never to tell anyone ever.”</p>
<p>“I mean, it’s not really my business to tell anyways, is it?”</p>
<p>“Good. I appreciate that.”</p>
<p>“But also, you may or may not have clung to my arm in front of all the guys.”</p>
<p>“NO!” she wailed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks so much for reading and let me know what you think down below! I'm not sure yet if I'm gonna continue this with their date or not, but we'll see. The winter quarter is ending soon, so I'll have a lot more time to write until spring quarter starts. I'm working on a longer fic that contains smut and I'm hoping to get it out on the 20th. With that, I hope y'all have an amazing day, night, evening, what have you, and thank you again so much for reading.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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